Loss
by kazm084
Summary: May receives some very bad news. Can the rest of the team help her?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It was midnight. Melinda May had just got into her hotel room. She had been at the bar drowning her sorrows. It had been a hard day for her and the rest of the team and phil Coulson had very kindly gave them all a night off. May walked clumsily towards the bed and fell into it. She lay still as the drunkness overcame her and watched the room spin. She turned over onto her side to try and calm the spinning and before she knew it she was fast asleep.

May awoke early the next morning. It was still dark outside and a pounding headache was there to remind her of her drunkness the night before. She sat up to look at the clock, it was only 5am. They weren't due back at the bus until 9am. May looked down at herself, and realising she was still in her clothes from the night before, decided it would be a good idea to shower and change into some fresh clothes.

About half an hour later May emerged from the shower feeling refreshed. She walked over to the kettle and flicked the switch to boil it. She sighed as her phone rang. "So much for a 9am start," she mumbled to herself. May answered the phone fully expecting it to be Coulson with a mission, however it wasn't. It was a womans voice that answered back.

"Is that Melinda May?" Asked the woman.

"Yes, who's calling?" Asked Melinda.

"My names Joanne," said the woman. "I'm calling from the city morgue in central China."

May didn't say anything in response, but continued to listen. "I'm really sorry to have to tell you this," said Joanne. "We have your sister here. We need you to come down and confirm the identity of the body."

May's body went cold and numb. Her phone fell from her hand and onto the floor. May slid down to the floor and rested her back against the bed. Her sister was dead. She didn't care how or why at the moment. She just couldn't believe it.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Sometime later, back at the bus, the rest of the team were starting to wander in from their night off. Coulson had got in first, a little surprised to find he was the first one there. May had always beat him to it in the past. He figured she would be here soon. After all, it had only just turned 8 o'clock. Fitz and Simmons arrived about fifteen minutes later, arguing about some quiz show they had watched the night before. Ward strolled in soon after, closely followed by Skye. By 9 o'clock everyone had arrived, all except May. Coulson went to his office to phone her. He wasn't worried; he'd guessed she had got held up somewhere. He didn't mind but they had to get in the air. They were only allowed to park the bus for so long. If they hadn't taken off by midday then the local authorities wouldn't be happy.

Back at the hotel room, May was curled up in a sitting position. She had her knees pulled into her chest and her head down. She had been crying. She had no idea how long for, it felt like it had been days. The sudden shock had finally wavered and she was able to think a bit more clearly now. May slowly lifted her head up. It was 10 o'clock. She should have been back at the bus an hour ago. May caught sight of her phone. It was flashing. Coulson had called four times. She hadn't even heard it go off. She wasn't sure she could face speaking to anyone right now, so she cleaned herself up and started the drive back to the bus. She would talk to Coulson when she got there.

Back at the bus, time was getting on. It was nearly 10:30 and May still hadn't made it in. Coulson had asked the rest of the team if they had heard off her but nobody had. He had called her four times already and there had been no answer. He reached for the phone, thinking about calling her again but changed his mind. There was only one route between the bus and her hotel so if she was on her way he would see her.

About 10 minutes later he was driving down the road that linked the bus and May's hotel room together. However, he was beginning to regret his decision as he had hit very heavy traffic. Up ahead he could see flashing lights from police cars and ambulances. If May was in this traffic he would be quicker walking to look for her. Ignoring the angry looks from fellow drivers Coulson got out of his car and set off at a brisk pace, keeping his eyes peeled for May's car. He didn't have to look very far. As he approached the scene of the accident he found it.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Coulson stared in horror at the sight before him. A lorry had collided into the side of May's Suv, which now was smashed inwards on the passenger side. Coulson panicked slightly, as he looked for May. He breathed a slight sigh of relief when he saw her with an ambulance crew a few feet away. A policeman tried to stop him as he ran towards her. He identified himself as an agent and they let him through. When he reached May she was sitting upright on a stretcher. She had an oxygen mask on her face and cuts and bruises covered her body. One ambulance man was taking notes while the other was placing a sling around May's left arm.

"May what happened? Are you ok? Asked Coulson.

"I'll live" she replied. She gave a little half smile to reassure him but Coulson wasn't convinced.

"Cctv caught the lorry cutting her off at the junction. Ran her off the road" a policeman cut in. "No sign of the driver though, he must of made a run for it."

Coulson thought he could see something in May's face. Like something else was wrong, but he knew better than to question it while she was surrounded by so many people.

"I'm going to let the rest of the team know what's happened." Coulson told May. She only gave a weak nod in response.

"We are taking her to the hospital in 5 minutes if you want to travel with her. " said one of the ambulance crew.

"I'll be back in five minutes" said Coulson.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Later on that evening, Coulson was sat alongside May's hospital bed. May's arm was now wrapped lightly in a bandage. It turned out nothing had been broken; it was just very badly bruised. The doctor had given the go ahead for May to be discharged in a couple of hours as long as there was someone with her for the next 24 hours to keep an eye on her. Coulson had assured the doctors that she would be well looked after. May hated hospitals. Coulson was worried when the news of being out of here in a few hours hadn't lifted her mood any. Coulson took the advantage of the quiet room. "What's wrong May?" Asked Coulson. "I know it's not just the car crash that's bothering you," he prodded gently.

"I had a phone call this morning. My sister she…. She's dead." May almost choked on her words. She took a deep breath to stop herself from crying. Coulson put his hand on hers. "I'm sorry May." He said. He had heard her mention her sister several times. He knew they were close. "What happened?" he asked. May turned her face away from him to hide her emotions. "I don't know." Said May. They sat in silence for a while. Coulson at her side, with silent support.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Coulson and May had arrived back at the plane just after midnight. The rest of the team had greeted them and had tried to make a fuss of May but Coulson had took hold of her and steered her straight to her quarters for some much needed rest. Ward had got the plane in the air and Coulson had instructed Simmons to check on May every half an hour despite May's protests. Coulson had managed to bribe May into staying put by promising to find out what happened to her sister, and that they would be heading straight to China. The team were now fully aware of the situation and every now and then Coulson could hear them asking Simmons how May was. Coulson had also requested hourly updates from Simmons.

It was now early hours of the morning. None of the team had slept except May who according to Simmons was still fast asleep in her bunk. Coulson was sat in the office and had just got off the phone with the police. "What did you find out?" asked Skye as she popped her head around the door.

"It was a robbery gone wrong." Said Coulson. Apparently he was trying to steal her handbag, but she surprised him and fought back. He pushed her away and she fell back and hit her head against the curb. She died a few hours later in hospital. The mugger confessed straight away.

"Poor girl," Said Skye. They both stayed in silence for a moment.

"I should go and tell May," said Coulson.

Skye nodded. "We are here if you need us."

"I know," replied Coulson.

Moments later, Coulson met Simmons coming out of May's room. "She's ok," Said Simmons. "She's awake now though and beginning to get restless. I have warned her to stay put."

"Its ok" said Coulson. "She just needs answers."

"I take it you've found them," said Simmons.

Coulson nodded. "Skye will fill you and the rest of the team in."

Simmons nodded and then walked away giving May and Coulson some privacy.

Coulson knocked on the door before he entered. Like Simmons said, May was awake and sat on the edge of her bed. She was in the process of pulling out her workout clothes. May was never one to stay still for long. "You're supposed to be resting." Said Coulson as he sat down on the bed next her.

"I feel fine," said May.

Coulson gave her a look. "I just need something to do something to take my mind off things." She said. Coulson nodded showing that he understood. "How long till we reach China?" asked May?

"Seven hours," replied Coulson. He pondered for a second, wondering where to start the conversation. "I spoke to the police," he said at last. And he told May everything he had learnt. May listened intently. When he finished Coulson went to put a hand towards May in comfort but she stood and left the room, feeling the need to be alone to take everything in.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

After what seemed like forever the plane touched down in China. Coulson hadn't spoken to May since he had told her about her sister. He had decided to give her the time alone. Now he waited for her inside the SUV. He was going to accompany her to the morgue while the rest of the team stayed on the plane and got some rest. They had offered to come along in support but Coulson thought it best that the less people go the better.

Coulson and May drove to the morgue in silence. When they arrived and walked through the doors May found the familiar morgue smell to be overwhelming. As an agent May had visited morgues plenty of times, but this time it was different. This time she was here to see somebody she knew, not a victim to a crime.

Coulson spoke to the morgue attendant and he led them through to May's sister's body. Coulson looked on as May took in the sight before her. She read the label on the trolley. It noted her name, Hannah May, her date of death and her morgue number. Hannah was a slightly older version of Melinda. They shared the same facial features.

"I'm sorry," said the morgue attendant. "But there's some paperwork to fill out." He looked from May to Coulson.

"I can do it" said Coulson. The morgue attendant nodded his approval and they both left the room leaving May to say her final goodbye.

Fifteen minutes later Coulson re-entered the room. May felt his hand rest on her right shoulder. Then she turned to him, buried her head in his arms and cried.


End file.
